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spring conference
christologyBeth Haven Church
Friday – Sunday, May 31 – June 2, 2019
Rembrandt, Sacrifice of Isaac, 1635 Delacroix, Jacob Wrestling with the Angel, 1861
Domenico Fetti, Moses before the Burning Bush, c. 1617 Rembrandt, Balaam and his Donkey, 1626
contemplatingthe old testamentchristophanies
Steven W. Boyd, M.S., Th.M., Ph.D.
Research Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages;
Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Creation Studies,
Calvary University
Director of the Cataclysm Chronology Research Group
Phrase occurs 58x (twice it is not a Christophany: Hg 1:3; Ma 2:7)
Grammatically ‘definite’
First time is with Hagar
Occurs 10x with Balaam and10x with Samson’s parents
Attested for all periods and in allthree parts of the canon
Last time in Zechariah
Messenger of YHWH
He appeared toHagarAbrahamMosesBalaam and his she-assThe IsraelitesThe inhabitants of MerozGideonSamson’s parentsDavidElijah
Messenger of YHWH
Messenger of YHWH
RighteousUnrighteousZechariahJoshua the High PriestThe inhabitants of
Jerusalem
Messenger of YHWH
Clearly a person of the Godhead in
Gn 22:11f
Ex 3
Nm 22
Jgs 6
Jgs 13
Other places it is not clear
Messenger of YHWH
Clearly a person of the Godhead in
Gn 22:11-18Use of 1st person
“I know”“from Me”“by Myself I
hereby swear”
content of 17-18Utterance of YHWH
comes from Him
Messenger of YHWH
Clearly a person of the Godhead in
Ex 3Demand for worship
Messenger of YHWH
Clearly a person of the Godhead in
Nm 22:20-35Obeisance is
acceptedUse of 1st person
“I Myselfhave come out”
“against Me”The tenor of Balaam’s
retort
Messenger of YHWH
Clearly a person of the Godhead in
Jgs 6:Called YHWH, 14, 16Divine actions, 21Gideon’s reaction, 22YHWH’s reassurance, 23
Messenger of YHWH
Clearly a person of the Godhead in
Jgs 13Manoah spoke as he
did, because he did not knowThe Angel of YHWH’s identity
The Angel’s NameThe Angel’s actionManoah’s reaction
Messenger of YHWH
Not so clear in passages such as
Gn 16 “I will multiply your seed” (10) BUT “YHWH has heard your affliction” (11)
Is 37:36Zec 1:8-17
Mysterious Man
Most times ִ שיׁא is an ordinary man
Three times it is incontestable that ִ שיׁאrefers to a person of the Godhead:
Gn 18--also rf to as YHWH;A. knows who He is
32:25—Jacob’s reaction
Dn 7:9-10; 13-14—Position ofhonor given to Him
Mysterious Man
The rest are not as clear:
The man who directs Joseph
The man dressed in linen
Mountain andWildernessAppearances
Burning Bush
Giving of the Decalogue
Covenant ratification
The Pillar of Cloud and Fire
Declaring His name
Appearances of the Glory
The diviner--Balaam and his she-ass
The Commander
The Destroyer of the Assyrian Army
Military Context
Circumstances (Nm 22:20-35)Balaam’s refractory behavior
YHWH’s relentless oppositionwith a drawn sword in His hand
The she-ass’s proper actions
Balaam’s appalling ignorance
The she-ass’s irrefragable logic
YHWH’s rebuke
Military Context
✓ The diviner
Circumstances (Jo 5:13-15)ChargesCanaanitesCrossingCommemoration
Covenant ClosuresCircumcision (Closure)Celebrate Passover
(Closure)Consume produceCessation of Mannah
(Closure)
Military Context
✓ The Commander
The CommanderJoshua reconnoitered JerichoJoshua saw a soldier with a
drawn sword in his handJoshua queried himThe soldier replied strangelyThe soldier revealed his
identityJoshua responded accordinglyJoshua asked another questionThe Soldier demanded
reverenceJoshua humbly complied
Military Context
✓ The Commander
Circumstances (Is 37:33-38)Imminent siege of JerusalemObloquy directed at YHWHDivine promise of protection
The Angel strikes swiftly,silently, and devastatingly
A destroyed armyA defeated, disgraced foeA hasty retreatA feckless god
Military Context
✓ The Destroyer
Mystery
Messenger of YHWH
Gn 16; 21 (“of God”)
Ex 23:20ff
Is 37:33-38 (see above and below)
Zec 1:8-13
Mystery
Mysterious ManGn 37:14-20
Ez 9:1-11
Mystery
Mysterious Man
Gn 37:14-20
Reasons for Divine reading:His sudden appearance
and disappearanceHis unexpected
appearanceHis vital role played in
orchestrating subsequent events
His words and actions are not easily explained as those of a mortal
He knows just the right thing
Mystery
Mysterious Man
Gn 37:14-20
Reasons for human reading:Supernatural ability is not
clearly evinced Mortals can have a vital
role as wellHaving fulfilled his role,
what happens to him is irrelevant
God controlled the circumstances so that he was in just the right place at just the right time
Mystery
Mountain andWildernessAppearances
Ex 23:20-33
Mystery
Is 37:30-38Military Context
Magnificence
Messenger of YHWH All of them
Magnificence
Mysterious Man All of them
Magnificence
Mountain andWildernessAppearances
All of them
Magnificence
All of themMilitary Context
Message
Messenger of YHWH
Never just an appearance
Almost never just an action
Almost never wordless
Never trite or gratuitous
Message
Mysterious Man
Never just an appearance
Never just an action
Never wordless
Never trite or gratuitous
Message
Mountain andWildernessAppearances
Never just an appearance
Almost never just an action
Almost never wordless
Never trite or gratuitous
Message
Military Context
Never just an appearance
Almost never just an action
Almost never wordless
Never trite or gratuitous
Messenger of YHWH
Miraculous
In essence
In actionsOmniscientOmnipresentOmnipotentPurposefulNever gratuitous
Miraculous
Mysterious Man
In essence
In actionsOmniscientOmnipresentOmnipotentPurposefulNever gratuitous
Miraculous
Mountain andWildernessAppearances
In essence
In actionsOmniscientOmnipresentOmnipotentPurposefulNever gratuitous
Miraculous
Military Context
In essence
In actionsOmniscientOmnipresentOmnipotentPurposefulNever gratuitous
M
Messenger of YHWH
Accurate historical account
Skillfully written
to bring out the theology
Appearance, actions, and admonitions are integrated into the narrative
Portrayed with the attributes of God
M
Accurate historical account
Skillfully written
to bring out the theology
Appearance, actions, and admonitions are integrated into the narrative
Portrayed with the attributes of God
Mysterious Man
M
Accurate historical account
Skillfully written
to bring out the theology
Appearance, actions, and admonitions are integrated into the narrative
Portrayed with the attributes of God
Mountain andWildernessAppearances
M
Accurate historical account
Skillfully written
to bring out the theology
Appearance, actions, and admonitions are integrated into the narrative
Portrayed with the attributes of God
Military Context
Perplexing
Powerful
Purposeful
Patient
Persistent
Personal
Parenetic
Messenger of YHWH
Mysterious Man
Perplexing
Powerful
Purposeful
Patient
Persistent
Personal
Parenetic
Mountain andWildernessAppearances
Perplexing
Powerful
Purposeful
Patient
Persistent
Personal
Parenetic
Military Context
Perplexing
Powerful
Purposeful
Patient
Persistent
Personal
Parenetic